| The costs of teenage childbirths is a staggering figure, costing the taxpayers $67 million in one year, split between West Virginia citizens and federal dollars.
West Virginia, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the only state in the nation teenage birthrate rose 17 percent from 2007 to 2009.
In every other state, the rate dropped.
Calhoun and Clay County are among five West Virginia counties leading the state in teen childbirth, per capita.
West Virginia taxpayers spent $1.5 billion on the 55,964 teen births that occurred in the state between 1991 and 2008, according to the recent report.
Officials said investing in effective teen pregnancy-prevention programs would save taxpayers money, but the issue of sex education and birth control are widely contested.
CALHOUN-CLAY AMONG FIVE WV COUNTIES LEADING NATION IN TEEN CHILDBIRTH
2008 teen pregnancies cost W.Va. $67M State taxpayers spent $1.5 billion from 1991 to 2008- By Megan Workman
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